Navy SEALs Punished For Refusing COVID Vaccine On Religious Grounds Score Win Over Biden Administration

The Biden administration is just a few months away from coming to a merciful close. And after a string of failures, mistakes and inexcusable policies, it will be going out the same way it governed: by losing.

After taking over the country's COVID response in 2021, Biden's handlers made any number of indefensible decisions that affected the lives of millions of Americans. Barring unvaccinated travelers from entering the country, forcing 2-year-olds to wear masks, and vaccine mandates made to coerce desired behavior.

While Biden's attempt to force private employers to fire employees who didn't get COVID vaccines, however unnecessary,  was thankfully overturned, some of his mandates remained. Including those targeted towards those in the military. Some military personnel were fired, not allowed to be promoted in rank, or pay back training and signing bonus costs. 

Even Navy SEALs, some of the most elite members of our fighting forces, were punished if they didn't get vaccinated. The healthiest, most physically fit members of society, removed from service for refusing a vaccine that almost certainly had no benefits for them, carried a risk of side effects, with efficacy that dropped to zero within just a few months.

Thankfully though, the administration is now finally facing some consequences for its catastrophic mistake.

WASHINGTON, DC  - Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Chief Medical Advisor to the President, speaks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden as he delivers remarks on the Omicron COVID-19 variant following a meeting of the COVID-19 response team at the White House on November 29, 2021. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

NAVY SEALs Score Court Victory Over Biden Administration On COVID Vaccine Mandate

The DailyMail reported on Thursday that according to a new settlement, service members who were "mistreated" by the Biden administration are set to have their military service records "corrected." 

The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by a number of current and former service members who alleged that the US government unjustly denied their requests for religious exemptions to the COVID vaccine mandate. The two sides recently reached a settlement, which was in essence a de facto loss for the Biden administration. And deservedly so. 

The Navy "agreed to post a statement affirming the Navy's respect for religious service members," according to the Daily Mail, and provide "more training" for those who examine requests for religious accommodations. Policies will also have to change in order to ensure that requests are treated properly.

The government will also have to pay roughly $1.5 million in attorneys' fees racked up fighting its unjustified overreach.

"This has been a long and difficult journey, but the Navy SEALs never gave up," said Danielle Runyan, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, per the Daily Mail.

"We are thrilled that those members of the Navy who were guided by their conscience and steadfast in their faith will not be penalized in their Navy careers." 

Another lawyer for the service members said it was a "hard-fought but significant victory" for those who choose to fight back. It certainly is significant.

Military Members Show Absurdity Of Vaccine Mandates

The vaccine mandates were based on misinformation from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the CDC and other public health authorities, who incorrectly informed politicians that COVID vaccination would eliminate the risk of infection or transmission. "Safe and effective" became a universally repeated phrase used to justify extreme, authoritarian overreach. That, importantly, had no basis in science or evidence.

But as is common when critical thinking is demonized over unblinking ideological compliance, politicians and military authorities rushed to impose mandates, no matter how illogical. There was never any justification for imposing unwanted COVID vaccines on young, healthy individuals. Exactly like those in the elite ranks of the U.S. military.

As a letter written by more than 200 service members to the government states, "While implementing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, military leaders broke the law, trampled constitutional rights, denied informed consent, permitted unwilling medical experimentation, and suppressed the free exercise of religion."

That's precisely what the Biden administration did, because its trust in incompetent, untrustworthy individuals like Dr. Fauci and obsession with coercing behavior came before rational thought, caution and common sense. Rights, consent, the law and free exercise of religion all took, and take, a back seat to what Biden and his political allies believe in. Thankfully, they're not escaping consequences for their devastating mistakes. If only more people noticed or cared.